The invention relates generally to an axle shaft disconnect and more specifically to integral means within a differential for selectively disconnecting the axle shafts from the output of one of a four wheel drive differential vehicle.
The tractive advantage of four wheel drive in construction, off road and sport vehicles is significant. The advantages of four wheel drive, however, are not conferred without a drive system and operating procedure which is more complex than those of comparable non-four wheel drive vehicles. Specifically, the vehicle must include a differential for the added driven axles, means to selectively supply power to the differential and means, such as hub locks, to selectively connect the wheels to the driven axles. These devices not only add to the mechanical complexity of the vehicle, but they also increase the operational complexity. This is especially true of the hub locks which are mounted on the hubs of the additionally driven wheels and which must be manually activated or deactivated. This, of course, requires the vehicle operator to stop and dismount the vehicle, and walk to each wheel and hub lock, and perform the requisite locking or unlocking step. The delay, danger and inconvenience of this operation performed at night or in inclement weather is apparent.